Editorial - What Is Right In His Own Eyes!
by Joy Hunting
"What is right in his own eyes" is part of a Scripture that is stated four times in the Book of Judges (17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). The writer, possibly Samuel, living after the establishment of kings in Israel, and writing a compilation of past events, tells us that "in those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes."
The people by and large doing what was right in their own eyes was the very thing Moses had warned against when he had set out God's plan of campaign as they were about to enter the land He had promised to them and was now bringing them into.
Moses said to the people: "You shall not do as we are doing here today – every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes ... but when you cross over Jordan and dwell in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit ... observe and obey all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you and your children after you for ever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God" (Deuteronomy 12:8,28).
Here were God's people Israel in Moses' day about to enter into their promised inheritance and being given instructions and warnings as to their wholly following the Lord; and here today we have God's people Israel returned once again to their inheritance (or part thereof) and needing to hear and heed the same instructions and warnings given them in Moses' day!
It's just not good enough that any of us should do what is right in our own eyes if it does not meet God's standards and intentions. The Lord God of Israel is available to guide and bless us in these days, and to guide and bless Israel's leaders and people in particular, just as He was in Joshua's and Moses' day.
He will fulfil His word to His people just as he did in the days when, as Joshua was able to testify at the end of his life: "Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD God had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass" (Joshua 21:45).